1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to air mattresses, and more particularly to an air mattress configured for use with vehicles such as a pickup truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) or for home or other use on a relatively flat surface in otherwise conventional fashion.
2. Description of Related Art
Many vehicles, such as pickup trucks, include flatbeds, which are open containers formed within the structure of the vehicle for carrying cargo. Flatbeds often contain cumbersome protruding wheel well compartments, which reduce the volume available for cargo within the flatbed. Often, drivers who spend a great deal of time on the road, or who use their vehicles for camping and other outdoor-living or recreational activities, attempt to sleep in the flatbeds of their vehicles. The intrusive wheel well compartments can make this difficult, even when a conventional mattress is provided for reception within the flatbed. Thus, it is desirable to provide a mattress specifically shaped and designed for the vehicle flatbed, allowing the user to comfortably use the mattress, despite the presence of the uncomfortable and intrusive wheel well compartments. It is further desirable to still be able to utilize the air mattress on any other relatively flat surface in otherwise conventional fashion.
The following art defines the present state of this field:
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0120477 to Kennan is directed to a mattress having an overall size and shape that enables it to fit securely in the back of a pick-up truck, SUV, mini-SUV or some other vehicle. While the specifications and examples listed herein assume a full-size vehicle, a proportionally smaller mattress can be configured to accommodate mid-size or smaller vehicles.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0083528 to Fisher et al. is directed to an inflatable mattress comprising a flexible bottom layer, a top layer sealed to the bottom layer through a wall, wherein the bottom and top layers and the wall define an outer frame of the inflatable mattress, and a middle layer disposed between the top and bottom layers. The bottom surface of the middle layer is sealed to the bottom layer through a plurality of laterally disposed I-beam structures to form a lower chamber. The top surface is attached to the top layer through a plurality of X-beam structures to form an upper chamber. A peripheral edge of the middle layer may be sealed with the wall to prevent the upper and lower chambers from being in fluid communication with each other. Alternatively, the peripheral edge may be detached from the wall so that the upper and lower chambers are in fluid communication with each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,725 to McCartney is directed to a low-pressure pneumatic cell for automobile rear seats which has a well portion and a seat portion with a padded panel covering the seat portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,738 to Wagner is directed to a mattress cover which includes a facing panel and a heat panel overlying at least a portion of the facing panel. The heat panel has an upper section, a backing section, and means for generating heat, the heat generating means being disposed between the upper and backing sections. Also provided is means for fastening the facing panel to the heat panel comprising at least one complementary pair of interlocking members comprising a first and a second locking member, the first locking member being secured to the facing panel, the second locking member being secured to the heat panel, and the first and second locking members being adjustable between an interlocked position, bridging the facing and heat panels, to an open position. The mattress cover is also provided with means for securing the facing panel to a mattress core. Also provided is a mattress construction having a mattress core and a facing panel and having said mattress cover secured to the facing panel.
U.S. Design patent No. D281,379 to Isham et al. is directed to an ornamental design for a sofa bed for a van conversion.
U.S. Design patent No. D392,145 to Thurston is directed to an ornamental design for an air mattress for pregnant women.
Applicant's prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,755, is directed to a custom fit, inflatable air mattress, having a unitary, or one piece structure, that can be used in a variety situations such as in the flatbed of a pickup truck, station wagon, van or the like, and is designed to accurately and snugly conform around the protruding wheel well compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,907 to Larson is directed to a mattress top assembly for a mattress comprising a pad filled with cushioning material and a plurality of connector straps attached along the head, foot, and side edges of the pad and removably connected to the sidewall of the mattress. The mattress includes one part of a cooperable fastener generally midway between top and bottom surfaces, on the sidewalls of the mattress, for detachable connection of each of the straps thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,333 to Nelson et al. is directed to a heating and cooling comforter for heating or cooling a user. The heating and cooling comforter includes an inner bladder comprising a pair of panels coupled together along the outer perimeter of the inner bladder to define an air space therebetween. Each of the panels of the inner bladder has a plurality of spaced apart air apertures therethrough into the air space of the inner bladder. A comforter cover is also included comprising a pair of panels coupled together along the outer perimeter of the comforter cover. The comforter cover has an elongate slit therein between the panels of the comforter cover. The inner bladder is inserted into the comforter cover. A vent cover is included having an arcuate upper wall and an open bottom. An elongate conduit is extended between the from the inner bladder and the vent cover to fluidly connect the air space of the inner bladder to the vent cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,469 to Chung is directed to an inflatable product comprising an inflatable body, a socket, an electric pump, at least one battery and a connector. The socket is built in the inflatable body. The electric pump is connected to the socket to pump the inflatable body. The battery is disposed in the electric pump. The connector is provided on the electric pump for connecting an external power. The electric pump is supplied with power by the battery or the external power.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,694 to Roberts et al. is directed to a tent assembly comprising an awning including a plurality of tubular support members having rectilinear longitudinal lengths and a plurality of couplings for interchangeably conjoining the tubular support members such that the tubular support members define a rigid frame. The tent assembly further includes a mechanism for removably securing the frame to a support surface and a canvas removably positional over the frame for preventing undesirable foreign debris from entering beneath the frame. An inflatable mattress is sized and shaped for nesting on the flat bed of the flat bed truck. The tent assembly further includes a mechanism for selectively inflating the mattress such that a user can introduce and displace air from the mattress as needed during periodic use. The inflating mechanism is detachably engagable with the inlet port and includes one implement selected from the group including a manual air-pump and an electrically powered air-pump.
The prior art described above teaches devices such as an air mattress having a removable heating pad, an air mattress having removable portions to accommodate a pregnant woman, an air mattress configured for fitting securely into the flatbed portion of a pickup truck and conform around the wheel well compartments, and an air mattress having a built-in electric pump. However, the prior art fails to teach a multi-purpose air mattress having selectively removable wheel well recess inserts, upper and lower perimeter chambers, and sidewall support seams for increasing and ensuring structural stability and integrity of the air mattress and allowing for its effective use both within a vehicle flatbed and on any other relatively flat surface in otherwise conventional fashion. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary.